91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ

The new education law (loi 2022-023 portant loi d’orientation du Système Educatif National) is a leap forward in terms of right to education guarantees. It makes education compulsory from six to fifteen and recognizes that ‘education is a fundamental right guaranteed to all Mauritanians without discrimination based on gender, social, cultural, linguistic or geographical origin’. Furthermore, the new law recognizes lifelong learning for people at any stage of their lives, to develop knowledge, know-how, skills or competences, whether in the context of a personal or professional project. It provides for digital education and proscribes corporal punishment and all forms of moral abuse. These provisions reflect the political will to ensure compliance with the international framework.

To implement this law, a new national education sector development programme (Programme national de développement du secteur de l'éducation - PNDSE III) is to be elaborated. In this context, UNESCO is providing technical assistance by reviewing the Mauritanian national education framework as part of the State of the National Education System Report (Rapport d'Etat d'un Système Educatif National – RESEN) to ensure the PNDSE III adopts a rights-based approach. The technical report reviewing the right to education in Mauritania (elaborated on the bases of the ), presents an assessment of the compatibility of the legal and policy framework with international standard-setting instruments on the right to education, and in light of SDG 4 commitments.

Two workshops were held on 26 October 2022, in Nouakchott, to build capacities on the right to education and to present and discuss the preliminary findings of the technical report on the right to education in Mauritania. The workshop brought together ministerial officials from several ministries.

These workshops gave rise to fruitful exchanges and rich contributions from the national side around the identified gaps and challenges as well as the need to harmonize the national framework (especially in view of the article in the new law that foresees the revision of the legal arsenal) of the technical report. The discussions will further feed into the analysis to take into account national priorities, planned initiatives and measures, and challenges.

During a hearing with the Minister of National Education and Reform of the Education System, the Minister highlighted Mauritania’s commitment to international human rights obligations and the need for rights-based systems. UNESCO will continue to support Mauritania in this endeavor to ensure the domestic implementation and effective enforcement of the human right to education by strengthening national frameworks which lay the foundation and conditions for the delivery and sustainability of free, inclusive, equitable and quality education.

• UNESCO’s work on the right to education